MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The mom at the center of a heinous crime that allegedly led to the deaths of four young children faced a judge Tuesday.
“Please be advised ma’am that I do need to know your name. Would you please state your name please,” asked the Judge.
When Judge Loyce Lambert-Ryan asked Shanynthia Gardner questions, the 29-year-old said nothing.
“Are you Mrs. Gardner?” asked the Judge. “Do you understand? Are you gonna speak? ”
She remained silent throughout the court hearing.
The Shelby County Sheriff’s Department said immediately after court they handed over custody of Gardner to the Memphis Mental Health Institute, where she is expected to undergo evaluation.
There are still plenty of question about what led her to slash the throats of her 4 children, who were all under 5 years old.
Investigators said she admitted to the crime.
Outside court the Deputy District Attorney Jennifer Nichols refused to speculate on Gardner’s mental condition.
“It’s devastating. Four children lost their lives. It’s important not just to our office but to everyone in the community,” said Nichols.
Gardner’s family was outside court and refused to talk about what happened.
We do know they are being assisted by local Pastor Alex Horton of Longview Heights 7th Day Adventist Church.
He told us he knows the family through church.
“That’s all I can say. That’s all. The family asks me not to say anything at all, all right,” said Horton.
Gardner could remain at MMHI until her next court hearing on July 11
Her attorney is Craig Morton and he filed a court motion to preserve all the evidence in this case, including from social media.
